Spring plate



June 8,1943. H, J, HORN 2,321,481

SPRING PLATE Filed Sept. 18, 1940 INVENTOR. F/ 4. F/ 5 v M45/Py .f Hoe/ v ATTORNEY.v

Patented June 8, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE application September 18, 1940, Serial No. 357,211

Claims.

This invention relates to spring plates for sup` porting and positioning the springs of railway cars and the like on the bolsters.

'I'he principal object of the invention is the provision of a novel spring plate that can beeasily and economically manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring plate having improved spring positioning means integral therewith.

These objects will more fully appear in the following specication and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a spring plate ernbodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an end View of the same Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the plate with the spring positioning lugs only partly formed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan View on an enlarged scale of a part of the plate shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on substantially the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a spring plate embodying the invention.

The spring plate is preferably pressed from sheet steel of relatively heavy gauge. The plate is generally H -shaped, as shown in Figure l. It comprises a bottom wall Ill having five seats II, I2, I3, 4Ifl and I5 thereon for the reception of a like number of helical springs. The position of the springs when they are mounted on the spring plate is indicated by the broken lines in Figures 1 and 5. The two corner spring seats Il and I2 and the center seat I3 form a triangle. 'Ihe corner seats I4 and I5 and the center seat I3 also form a triangle.

Extending perpendicular to the plane of the bottom wall Ill is a peripheral flange I6. As will be apparent from Figure 1, the flange I6 is concentric with a large part of the outer edge of each spring seat. Thus, the flange I6 serves to define a part of each spring seat and to prevent the separation of the springs when they are mounted on the plate.

To prevent the springs from moving against each other and thereby interfering with each others action, auxiliary spring positioning means are provided. These auxiliary spring positioning means consist of four lugs I'I, I8, I9 and 20, arranged in pairs. One pair of lugs is located in the middle kof each of tl e above mentioned triangles so as to aid in positioning three springs.

The lugs are all alike. They are formed integral with the spring plate by first forming slits 2i in the plate (see Figure 4) so as to `sever all but one side of each lug from the spring plate, and thereafter bending the lugs of each pair up wardly toward each other (see Figures 5 and 6). The lugs are thus left attached to a narrow web 22 of metal in the center of each of the triangles of spring seats.

The remote face of eachY lug is curved so as to be concentric with its adjacent corner spring seat. Lug I'I is adapted to fit a spring on seat II, lug I8 is adapted to nt a spring on seat I2, and so on. Thus, the four lugs, with the aid of the peripheral flange I6, will accurately position the springs on the corner seats II, I2, I4 and I5 The adjacent corners of the lugs I'I, I8, I9 and 20 are located at the edge of the center spring seat I3. Thus, those corners will engage a spring on spring seat I3, and with the flange I5 at opposite sides of the seat I 3, will accurately locate a Spring and hold it in place on the seat.

In orderto locate the spring plate in a bolster window, the spring plate is provided with two downwardly projecting locating studs 23. The studs are adapted for reception in the usual sockets therefor in the bolster. The studs 23 are pressed from the bottom wall lil, preferably in the middle of the web 22, before the lugs are bent upwardly (see Fig. 4).

In order to minimize the accumulation of dirt and moisture on the spring plate, the latter is provided with drainage openings 24 in the center of each of the corner spring seats. Other openings 25 are located at each end of the spring plate, and the holes 2| formed when the lugs I1, I8, I9 and 20 are severed and bent upwardly also permit moisture and dirt to fall out of the plate.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that this invention provides a novel spring plate of simple and economical construction. It is readily pressed from sheet steel of the requisite thickness. Each of the lugs Il to 2i] is adapted to engage two springs, and therefore, but four lugs are necessary. Since the lugs are severed from the plate along their edges remote from each other, and are bent upwardly toward each other, they can be of substantial height, thus providing a real barrier against movement of the springs. Also, the Webs 22 between the lugs of each pair permit of the fashioning of an integral locating stud in the middle of each triangle of spring seats.

Most .holsters that take this type of spring seat are provided with sockets at those locations.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pressed metal spring plate having three spring seats thereon for the reception of coil springs, said spring seats being arranged in the form of a triangle, spring positioning means between said seats, said means consisting of a pair of integral lugs severed from the plate on all but one side and bent upwardly toward each other, one side of each lug being adapted to engage a side of an adjacent spring and an edge of each lug being adapted to engage the third spring, and additional spring positioning means on said plate cooperating with the first mentioned means for holding springs on said seats.

2. A pressed metal spring plate having three spring seats arranged in the form of a triangle for the reception of coil springs, said plate including an integral web between said seats, a pair of lugs connected to opposite; edges of said web and extending upwardly therefrom, said lugs being struck up from said plate, each of said lugs being engageable with two springs, and a spring plate locating stud integral with said web and extending downwardly therefrom.

3. A spring plate comprising a one piece stamping having three spring seats thereon for the reception of coil springs, said spring seats being arranged in the form of a triangle, spring positioning means between said seats consisting of a pair of upstanding lugs struck out from said plate, each of said lugs being adapted to engage a spring on each of two of said seats, said stamping being formed to provide additional spring positioning means about its perimeter to cooperate With said lugs for holding springs on said seats.

4. A spring plate comprising a one piece stamping of generally H-shape having spring seats at its corners and another spring seat at its center, spring positioning means between said center seat and each of the corner seats comprising upstandstanding lugs struck out from said plate, each of said lugs being engageable with a spring positioned on each of two of said seats, said stamping being formed to provide additional spring positioning means about its perimeter to cooperate with said lugs for holding springs on said seats.

5. A spring plate comprising a one piece stamping of generally H-shape having a spring seat at each corner and another spring seat at its center, said spring plate being provided with upstanding flange portions about its perimeter concentric with portions of said spring seats, an upstanding lug struck out from said plate between said center seat and each of said corner seats, each of said lugs being engageable with the spring positioned on the adjacent corner seat and a spring positioned on said center seat.

HARRY J HORN. 

